Calling on investors in person and selling the meat of healthy emu birds are some of the damage control measures being resorted to by emu contract farming companies here in order to demonstrate that the business is doing well.
The nearly two dozen emu firms that have their head office or branch office in the district have launched a series of measures to retain their investors and explore newer markets for emu products.
More than half of these firms are small. Some in Tiruchengode and nearby areas have stopped attracting new investors.
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Birds are slaughtered on farms and the meat supplied at wholesale price of Rs. 300 and retail price of Rs. 350 per kg. The firms claimed they were not selling the meat of birds that had died naturally.
Animal welfare organisations have appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ban emu meat. .
The Mumbai-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has sent a letter to Dr. Singh seeking his intervention.
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More complaints
At Erode, the Economic Offences Wing registered cases against three more emu farms on Monday following complaints from investors.
More than 50 investors had lodged complaints against Queen Emu Farms at Perundurai; TVS Emu Farms, Sathyamangalam; and Alma Emu Farms, Bhavani.
More than 200 investors thronged the wing’s office to register complaints.
In Coimbatore, 10 investors lodged complaints with the EOW against Queen Emu Farms.
At Perundurai, complaints continued to pour in against Susi Emu Farms
Curiously, about 80 investors submitted a petition to the district administration claiming that the firm had not cheated them and demanding its reopening. The firm’s chairman and managing director M.S. Guru moved a bail application in the Principal District Sessions Court which is expected to be taken up for hearing on August 16.